ISHI- KO

ISHI-KO

CDMX, Mexico, 2023

ISHI-KO, AN INTIMATE CULINARY AND AESTHETIC ENCOUNTER BETWEEN JAPAN AND MEXICO

Lomas de Chapultepec, CDMX
2023

SERVICES

ARCHITECTURE/INTERIOR
PRODUCT/INDUSTRIAL/FURNITURE
VISUAL IDENTITY
STORYTELLING

Ishi-Ko is an intimate, simple space that seeks to pay homage to materials

- REGINA GALVANDUQUE, FOUNDING PARTNER AT MYT+GLVDK

Inspired by oriental Zen philosophy, by Japanese minimalism, and by their interest in experimenting

with natural, local materials, the architects Regina Galvanduque and Andrés Mier y Terán, partners at MYT+GLVDK, designed

Ishi-Ko as the firm’s most recent architecture, furnishing and visual identity project.

Situated in the Lomas de Chapultepec district of Mexico City, Ishi-Ko—which means ‘son of stone’ in Japanese—is a

restaurant that combines Japanese cuisine with Mexican taste in an intimate, sophisticated space where the culinary

experience is based on the high quality and authenticity of the ingredients.

The design of the restaurant combines the brutalist aesthetics of volcanic stone with elements that evoke the Japanese golden age, giving rise to a harmonious contrast of hues, textures and styles. This sense of counterpoint is further expressed in the furniture, which blends poplar wood with recinto stone from Puebla, and in the lamps which contrast rough stone

and the gleam of glossy brass.

The harmony between the Japanese minimalist aesthetic and the warmth of Mexican flavors is reflected in the restaurant’s décor concept, developed in partnership with consultant specialist on Japanese culture Nanae Watabe. The subtle lighting and gold detailing in the glazing, together with the mirrored ceilings, introduce warmth and elegance to the space. Meanwhile,

the floral arrangements both inside the dining room and in the exterior niches of volcanic stone follow the guidelines of the traditional Japanese art of Ikebana. The resin tableware, created by Mexican designer Paola Valle, adds a touch of sophistication and local modernity to the overall decorative scheme.